Sequence switch with plate type switch actuator



March 7, 1967' 3,308,251

SEQUENCE SWITCH WITH PLATE TYPE SWITCH ACTUATOR s. H. A. SCHMAUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 20, 1964 ATTORNEYS March 7, 1967 s. H. A. SCHMAUS 3,308,251

SEQUENCE SWITCH WITH PLATE TYPE SWITCH ACTUATOR Filed Nov. 20, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 150 66- SCI/MA (/5 ATTORNEY-' March 7, 1967 s. H. A. SCHMAUS SEQUENCE SWITCH WITH PLATE TYPE SWITCH ACTUATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov.

BY 12%, @MJ

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,308,251 SEQUENCE SWITCH WITH PLATE TYPE SWITCH ACTUATOR Siegfried H. A. Schmaus, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Ametek, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 412,802 4 Claims. (Cl. 200-38) This inventionrelates in general to a switch and more particularly to a sequence switch construction.

It has been found desirable in various sequential switching operations to disable the switches when power is cut off so that uponrestoration of power the switching means must go through the entire original sequence. Such switching means should be simple and inexpensive and this has not been true of many prior devices.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a sequence switch which can be reset in a minimum of time as compared with prior devices and which can have its individual switches adjusted with ease.

In one part, the present invention provides a sequence switch having a frame on which a plate type switch operator means is pivotally mounted. Also, there are a plurality of plunger operated switches arranged side by side on the frame withth'eir plungers movable by the switch operator. Means are provided for adjustably mounting each of the switches on the frame to allow variation of the distance that each plunger lies from the plate type operator means and thus to provide for sequential operation of the switches. Within the frame, there is a first motor means for actuating the switch operator means to move the plungers in and out at a predetermined rate. A second motor means is provided so that upon current failure, it will positively move the switch plungers to an off condition.

Additionally, the second motor is arranged to rotate a cam against the resistance of a resilient means so that upon current failure to the motor, the resilient means will reset the motor and cause the cam to lock the plungers in a switch-disabling condition.

It is particularly useful for electric heating or similar operations wherein heating units are sequentially energized in response to condition responsive means. The present invention after failure of power thereto and due to its reset feature, will allow the heating load to be applied sequentially.

Other advantages, objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view partially in section showing one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the lines 22 of FIG. 1 with a portion removed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded schematic view of the motor drive arrangement; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the plate.

The switch of the present invention is a sequence type having a frame consisting of a U-shaped member 12 and a pair of L-shaped members 14. The ends of members 14 are joined to the frame by fastenings 16 at the lower end and by twisted protrusions 18 at the top thereof. Across the top of the U-shaped frame member 12, there is disposed in a side by side relationship, a plurality of snap acting switches 20 with each switch having a plunger 22 projecting through openings 20A (FIG. 2) in the frame member 12 towards the interior of the frame.

Each switch 20 is aflixed to an individual mounting bracket 24 of which one end is rigidly secured by a fastening 26 to the frame member 12, while the other 3,308,251 Patented Mar. 7, 1967 end is held in a collar of an adjustable screw 28, which screw is threadedly engaged in the frame member 12. by this arrangement, the position of each plunger 22 may be adjustably positioned at a predetermined vertical distance from the plate member 12, whereby all of the plungers will operate in a line of action which is perpendicular to the plate members. Thus, the switches can be adjusted relative to a switch operator means as will be described hereafter.

In the form shown, the switch operator means includes a plate type switch operator 30 that is pivotally mounted in the frame by a longitudinally extending pin 32. The operator 30 has a cut out section at its center wherein a roller 34 (FIGS. 1, 3) is rotatably mounted between the upstanding legs of the plates 14 of the frame 10. The operator 30 is also arranged with a raised portion 30A that contacts the two right hand (FIG. 1) plungers 22, a flat portion 30B. At the left side there is a depressed portion 30C similarly arranged to contact the left hand switch plungers 22. The switches can be adjusted relative to the operator so that they will be sequentially operated as the operator 30' is oscillated. The end switches may be limit switches to stop the operating motor when upper or lower limits are reached.

Within the frame 10 between members 14, there is a lever or crank 35, the upper end of which is pivoted on the pin 32 so that its pivot point coincides with that of the switch operator 30. A horizontal portion 35A of the lever has a raised portion 35B arranged to contact the underside of switch operator 30 while its vertical leg 35C extends downwardly (FIG. 2) within the frame betweenframe members 12 and 14. On the right hand side of FIG. 1, there is disposed a reversible timing motor 36 attached to the leg 14 and having a shaft extend ing therethrough on which there is a gear 38. Motor 36 may be connected to the condition responsive means (not shown).

An oscillatable actuator 40 is pinioned at 42 and has a leg portion 40A extending from one side thereof and on the end of which there is a gear segment 40B which is engageable with the teeth of gear 38. Upon rotation of gear 38 by motor 36, the actuator 30 is caused to move arcuately upwardly and downwardly at a predetermined rate which is dependent upon the particular motor speed selected. Normally, a synchronous type clock motor can be used.

An adjustable lever operating bracket 44 is affixed to the activator 40 by screw 46. Activator 40 has a slot 40C vertically disposed therein and through which the screw 46 extends to allow bracket 44 to be vertically positioned as desired. The bracket 44 has a portion 44A that contacts leg 35C of the bell crank lever 35.

As there is a definite time relationship between the commencement of current flowing to the timing motor 36 and the movement of operator 30, which relationship is affected by the position of bracket 44 relative to crank 35, the bracket 44 provides an adjustment to the switch 10 in addition to the adjustment inherent in the location of the individual switches 20. In order to assist in'adjustment, indicia 40D can be placed next to the slot 40C to indicate various settings of the time it will take for the switch to move from one limit to the other.

Between frame members 14, there is also disposed cam 48 for contacting roller 34 of the switch operator 30. The profile of the cam is such that the surface rises from a position where plate 30 can be freely moved, to a second position where the roller 34 and operator 40 are rotated upwardly and the operator 30 causes all of the plungers 22 to be moved to their inward position, which may be the power off position.

The pinioned cam 48 is arranged to be driven by a reset type clutch timing motor 50, which is disposed with- 3 in the frame with its front face attached to the frame member 14 (FIG. 1) and having a geared shaft 51 extending inwardly through the frame member. An example of such is the motor made by Hayden Division of General Time Corp. designated as Series MA 2340. The right hand portion of the cam 48 (FIG. 1) has a shoulder 48A upon which a resilient or spring means 52 passes.

One end of the spring is attached to the cam 48 on pin 48B and the opposite end of the spring is attached to the pivot pin 42 or other part of the frame. The direction of winding of the spring on the cam is contrary to the direction of rotation of the cam when driven by second motor 50 through the cam 48 and segmental gear portion 48C. When motor 50 is energized, it will rotate cam 48 to a position where the leg 49A engages a lug 48D on the cam and in which position the plate operator 30 is free to pivotally move.

When the second or outage motor 50 has reached maximum travel, it will stall and remain in such position so long as it is energized. When the current is removed from motor 50, spring 52 will cause cam 48 to be rotated backwardly against the reset clutch in the motor until a second lug 48E on the cam engages a second lug 498 at which point the highest point of the cam through roller 34 rotates switch operator 30 clockwise or upwardly (FIG. 2) to depress all of the plungers of switches 20.

The motor 50 may be connected into a circuit that supplies power to various heating devices. 'Accordingly, the current that is supplied to that motor will cause it to rotate until the cam has been rotated against the action of the spring 52 so that the low portion of the cam is adjacent roller 34 and the actuator 30 is free to move. Meanwhile, the motor 50 will remain stalled in its maximum position. Should a power failure occur, the Spring 52 will cause an immediate reset of the cam as described, depressing all of the plungers. If each of the switches 20 is closed when the plunger is fully extended and open when the plungers are depressed, the reset action of the cam 48 will open all of the circuits so that when the power comes back on, there will not be a heavy surge in the power circuit. The power supplied with each switch will then be gradually restored by the normal action of the sequence switch.

The time delay of the beginning of activation of the switches 20 can be adjusted by vertically positioning the bracket 44, while the time interval between the action of the various switches may be controlled by adjusting the height of each switch 20 relative to each other as the screw 28 is moved in or out.

A sequence switch of this type usually has the end switch 20 normally open and the opposite end switch normally closed so that they may act as high and low 4 limit switches to stop and reverse the direction of the motor 36 at such points.

By placing the motors interiorly of the frame, the switch is particularly compact and the sensitive portions are protected.

It should be apparent that changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sequence switch, the combination including a frame, a plurality of plunger operated switches arranged side by side on said frame, switch operator plate means pivotally mounted on said frame, for engaging and 'actuat ing said plungers, actuator means oscillatably mounted in said frame and engageable with said plate means, a shaft in said frame having gear means thereon, reversible motor means in said frame for rotating said shaft and gear means, gear segment means on said actuator means meshing with said gear means, cam means rotatab-ly mounted in said frame and having segmental gear means thereon, said cam means engaging with said plate means, reset clutch timing motor means mounted in said frame and having a geared shaft, said shaft being in mesh with said gear means on said cam means, whereby said reversible motor means will move said switch operator plate means to sequentially actuate said plungers at a predetermined rate, and said clutch timing motor will move said plate means away from said plungers when de-energized so as to render ineffective said reversible motor means.

2. In a sequence switch according to claim 1, wherein said switch operator plate means has a roller means thereon, and said cam means engages with said roller means.

3. In a sequence switch according to claim 2, wherein crank means is associated with and depends from said switch operator plate means, and said actuator means engages with said crank means.

4. In a sequence switch according to claim 1, which includes resilient spring means between said cam and actuator means, whereby said resilient means will function to reset said clutch timing motor means and cause said cam to lock said switch plungers in a switch-disabling condition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1952 Strysko 20036 X 2/1966 Kucera 200- 

1. IN A SEQUENCE SWITCH, THE COMBINATION INCLUDING A FRAME, A PLURALITY OF PLUNGER OPERATED SWITCHES ARRANGED SIDE BY SIDE ON SAID FRAME, SWITCH OPERATOR PLATE MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, FOR ENGAGING AND ACTUATING SAID PLUNGERS, ACTUATOR MEANS OSCILLATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID PLATE MEANS, A SHAFT IN SAID FRAME HAVING GEAR MEANS THEREON, REVERSIBLE MOTOR MEANS IN SAID FRAME FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT AND GEAR MEANS, GEAR SEGMENT MEANS ON SAID ACTUATOR MEANS MESHING WITH SAID GEAR MEANS, CAM MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME AND HAVING SEGMENTAL GEAR MEANS THEREON, SAID CAM MEANS ENGAGING WITH SAID PLATE MEANS, RESET CLUTCH TIMING MOTOR MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME AND HAVING A GEARED SHAFT, SAID SHAFT BEING IN MESH WITH SAID GEAR MEANS ON SAID CAM MEANS, WHEREBY SAID REVERSIBLE MOTOR MEANS WILL MOVE SAID SWITCH OPERATOR PLATE MEANS TO SEQUENTIALLY ACTUATE SAID PLUNGERS AT A PREDETERMINED RATE, AND SAID CLUTCH TIMING MOTOR WILL MOVE SAID PLATE MEANS AWAY FROM SAID PLUNGERS WHEN DE-ENERGIZED SO AS TO RENDER INEFFECTIVE SAID REVERSIBLE MOTOR MEANS. 